Sewing on your cards...
 

Does it just happen that all the cardmakers who "stitch" their cards are also seamstresses? I love that look, but I just can't imagine everyone went out and bought a sewing machine to do this technique.

I've seen the little roller thingies that are supposed to simulate sewing stitches in my LSS, but I thought I read somewhere that they don't work very well.


Is there a way to get that lovely effect without spending bunches of money?


Thanks so much.

I'm definitely NOT a seamstress, but I do have a sewing machine. I've used it to repair seams, sew hems and inexpensive curtains. I've not yet used it for my cards, but I do hope to one day. You might want to consider picking up an older sewing machine at a thrift store or yard sale. I was told the older machines are much better than the new, because new ones are not only plastic on the outside, but have plastic gears inside.

That said, there is a way to get a stitched looked without a sewing machine. The Tim Holtz ruler has a bunch of tiny little holes. You can use a heavy needle (or the needle-like punch used to put a hole in cards for brads) to poke holes in a card and then go back and stitch on it with a thick needle and floss or twine.

I'll see if I can find photos or video.

Holtz doesn't really show the sewing, but here's a video of his ruler:
Tim Holtz - Design Ruler - YouTube

I was a quilter before I started stamping, so I had a good machine. It did die this summer and I bought another one. Couldn't stand not stitching on my cards. Crazy? Maybe....but happy while crafting. LOL

You don't need to splash the cash for a Tim Holtz ruler as a piercing guide - an inexpensive piece of plastic canvas will do the job just as well. A map pin works just fine as a piercer, too. You can use a fin tipped marker to draw "stitches" if you want something that's quicker than handstitching to join the holes - check out the faux stitching tutorial in the Resources section if a visual would help.

I do use a machine for my cards - I'm no seamstress either but I've had a machine since my teens for basic sewing jobs (curtains, pillow covers etc). I just keep a separate needle for sewing on my card projects. You can probably pick up a used machine very cheaply and something very basic is really all you need since you'll most likely use only sraight stitch and zig zag on papercrafting.

Joanne,
I think your suggestion is what will work for me. I've learned there are other ways to achieve this look, but your idea shown on the tutorial works quickest and most easily for me. Thanks so much to you and all that replied. I appreciate you ALL!!!

A few years ago...my mother bought me a sewing machine for my birthday...I thought...what the heck...I never sewed a day in my life. Seriously...once I needed to hem some pants...I used no sew hem tape and my embossing gun...worked (I think she bought me an iron once too...but no clue where that went). Once I started using the sewing machine...I was hooked but I still don't do it that often. A great tool is the scor-bug...find it cheap all over the internet. Even better if you have the scor-pal and the scor-bug. Just run the scor-bug down a line on the scor-pal and then run your ink pen or gel pen down the same line...very cool faux stiching.

Angie, I have looked at those before but not wanted to buy one without being sure it would work okay!Glad to hear it works.

I have a sewing machine but it is too large and too much trouble to set it up for sewing on cards so I haven't done any sewing on cards YET. My DH already " bought" my Christmas gift for me-it's a Janome Sew Mini sewing machine. He "bought" it for me (LOL) online at Hancock fabrics and "he" got it at 50% off and free shipping- a very good deal at $39.99. Of course I haven't used it yet because after all it is a Christmas gift.
Gina K uses the Janome and she has several videos on her blog-that's what convinced me to get the Sew Mini to use for sewing on cards-seems easy enough to set up and use and it is small and lightweight.

I have the Janome Sew Mini and love love it. It is very very light weigh I would say about 5 lbs or less easy to set up and sews great on cards

I used to make all my own clothes as a teen/young adult. Since I don't do that anymore, my poor sewing machine was feeling lonely so I've taken to sewing on my cards. Love it.

I highly recommend that you go with an older, refurbished machine. The Sew Minis seem to work great for some people and not so well for others who have had to replace them, several times even. I have a great friend who is a sewing machine tech and he says the Sew Mini is crap, basically a toy. Might be ok if you don't sew much but it just isn't reliable. An older machine might be more than you need but at least it has resale value.

I plan on using the sew mini for cards only because of it's easy set up. my older sturdier sewing machine will be my go to machine for actually sewing, but it's just too big to bring out for quick sewing on cards

I don't have a sewing machine, but I do some hand stitching on my cards. I just punch the holes first with a paper piercer and then stitch away. It takes a bit of time, but I love the free hand look!

A couple ideas (maybe tangental)
 

I haven't done any "real" sewing on cards. I know some people make a lot of cards by ironing fabric shapes on using "Wonder Under" or some other iron-on adhesive. That will certainly stick fabric to paper, but it doesn't look stitched.

I made a "sketchbook" card by stamping a large image, then drawing a rectangle around it for the notebook. I used embroidery floss (all 6 strands) and a large needle to make the "spiral binding" (parallel straight stitches in light gray). I didn't pre-punch or anything, just did it. If I make another one, I will mark where to make the holes lightly with pencil so they will be more evenly spaced.

I bought a Janome Sew Mini after watching Gina K's video and I'm so glad I did. It works like a charm for cards but is also great for all those little rips and tears on my clothes I used to have to sew by hand. Her videos are great and show everything from start to finish. Great product!